Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman has been released from prison, family spokesman says

[DonViejo]

Source: Al.com



By Kent Faulk | [e-mail]

on February 08, 2017 at 10:02 AM, updated February 08, 2017 at 10:24 AM

Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman was released from a federal prison in Louisiana this morning and is on his way back to Alabama, a family spokesman confirmed this morning.

"His brother just got a call that he is out," Chip Hill, a former aide to the governor and family friend told Al.com just before 10 a.m. today.

Federal Bureau of Prisons Officials at the prison in Oakdale, La., would not comment on whether Siegelman has been released.

Siegelman, who has been serving a 78-month sentence for a 2006 bribery conviction, is being released into a community corrections program in which he will serve the remaining six months of his sentence on home detention, friends of the Siegelman family have said.

Read more: http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2017/02/former_alabama_gov_don_siegelm.html

[dembotoz]

1. obama still should have done the pardon

but perhaps this was already in the works

[elleng]

4. It's merely procedural, imo,

and I'm not at all certain it was 'in the works' due to President Obama's tenure. As you say, Obama should have done the pardon, and I'll add, should have done it YEARS ago.

[PatSeg]

6. I read recently on DU

that Obama could only pardon those convicted of federal crimes.

[Jose Garcia]

7. Siegelman was convicted of federal crimes

[PatSeg]

17. Oh, you're right

Whoever posted earlier about it being a state crime was incorrect. Now I'm wondering yet again, why Obama didn't pardon him.

[msanthrope]

14. Well, since no one filed for one, and he was actually guilty.....

What, precisely, did you want?

[elleng]

15. He was 'actually guilty' of nothing.

[msanthrope]

16. Nonsense. He was guilty. His sentence was unjust, but

let's not revise history and pretend he wasn't convicted..

[elleng]

19. He was CONVICTED but was not, in fact, guilty of an actual offense.

2006 bribery conviction. There was NO bribery.

'Siegelman was indicted in 2005 and both were convicted in 2006 on bribery charges along with HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy. Prosecutors said that Scrushy paid $500,000 into Siegelman's campaign to start a state lottery in exchange for a seat on a state health board.' http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2017/02/former_alabama_gov_don_siegelm.html

He was doing his job as governor, named scrushy to the board as scrushy had had experience. Governor's jobs include naming people to boards. There was no quid pro quo, but repugs tarred him anyway.

[msanthrope]

23. Here's the thing...he's actually guilty.

Like Chelsea Manning, I think he got a raw deal on sentencing.

That's why he didn't file for a pardon, but realized he could milk the gravy train of donations..

All good.

[PatSeg]

18. He was guilty of being a Democrat

in a very red state. This was clearly a political prosecution.

[elleng]

20. Exactly. Thanks.

[PatSeg]

21. You're welcome

I'm glad he is out of prison, but the way he has been treated is outrageous.

[elleng]

22. HORRIBLY outrageous.

[diane in sf]

28. Thanks, he was set upon by two of KKKarl Roves female minions

[PatSeg]

31. The whole thing was incredibly nasty

Just about as ugly as politics can get.

[Jose Garcia]

32. Bribery, conspiracy, mail fraud, and obstruction of justice, actually

A jury was presented with the evidence. Seligman presented his defense. The jury unanimously chose to convict him.

[Catamount]

2. Finally!

Something positive at least!
Thanks

[wordpix]

3. why wasn't he pardoned? Did he do anything besides give R's a hissyfit?

[tenorly]

5. Whatever it was, it probably has to do with Karl Rove - just like the railroading itself.

My guess is that Alabama has a close friend or family member of Obama's in their claws - and he knows what they're capable of. Obama probably had no choice.

Either way, I'm glad Don Siegelman is back where he belongs: with his loving family.

[brooklynite]

9. The President of the United States was being blackmailed? That's your answer?

[tenorly]

10. This is Karl Rove and Apartheidbama we're talking about; it's a distinct possibility.

People often associate "blackmail" with something tawdry in the person's part; but there are various types of blackmail.

One common method, particularly in places with restricted civil liberties - like in, say, Alabama - is ransom blackmail: having state troopers, for instance, pick up a close friend or loved one of the person you're trying to blackmail and hold him/her indefinitely (and, needless to say, off the books).

The one being blackmailed usually knows what the perpetrators are capable of, and will abide by their demands for as long as it takes in order to spare their loved one the harm that could befall them.

Since President Obama has nothing in his background which could be used against him (we know this because if he had, it would have been smeared all over cable news in 2007/08), and since we can't rule out nefarious dealings on the part of Alabama (right?), we should at least consider that possibility.

Whatever the case may be, I'm just glad Don Siegelman is back home.

[brooklynite]

12. You're saying President Obama was too cowardly to stand up to Karl Rove. Got it.

...and you have evidence for this?

[byronius]

8. Welcome home, sir. Wish this had never happened.

This is high on the list of Reasons Why Karl Rove Will Burn In Hell. And it shames Alabama mightily.

[dhill926]

11. hope he flies to whatever hovel Rove calls home...

and beats the everloving shit out of him. An unevolved opinion I know....but what are ya gonna do....

[lucca18]

13. Welcome home Don Siegelman!

[YOHABLO]

24. Thank god and my heart goes out to his family

[Joe Bacon]

25. I want to hear what he has to say!

And I DEMAND to know why he was railroaded. Deserves a Congressional investigation, but what REALLY pisses me off is that asskisser Chaffetz won't do anything about that.

Nope, Chaffetz is going to do more Hillary investigations...

[Whocares74]

26. Siegelman

Siegelman was one of the BEST governor Alabama ever had, possessed of high principles, high character, high moral tone. He was railroaded by the Republicans. I'm disappointed that
Pres Obama's DOJ sent him back to prison in 2012 and
Pres Obama denied him a pardon.

[Rhiannon12866]

27. So were we!

This has been an important cause on this site and we're obviously relieved that he's out at last!

Welcome to DU, Whocares74!

[marlakay]

29. As soon as I was able I would move

If I was him. Maybe even to Canada.

Everything I read about it stinks of Rove and that guy got away with so much stuff.

[bobGandolf]

30. Sounds like he is a candidate for employ in the Trump Administration.